Kingdom Come Part 1: Queen Under the Mountain
by TheOriginalTale
Summary: Part 1 of 3 in the Kingdom Come trilogy. The "Prologue" of the story if you will.
1. Author's Note

**This little bit is going to be more of a warning so you all aren't surprised when the actual first chapter comes out.**

**THIS STORY IS NOT GOING TO BE FOLLOWING BASE CANON WITH THE GAME**

**This is a story that is taking place in an alternate universe. The only real difference, will be the timeline of events in which things occur.**

**The biggest differences, is that in this story, Asgore and Toriel got together sooner than in the original game, and thus by the time this story begins, Asriel is already 6 years old, whereas the original game, Asriel was not born until much later. Things will make more sense as the story goes on. **

**The other major difference is that Undyne is never captain of the royal guard in this timeline. I tried to find a way to include her, but she's just too black-and-white for this story, it wouldn't make sense having her in it. She's not dynamic enough.**

**As you've probably guessed, this story is going to be a trilogy, spanning 3 parts. I will be working on this for some time, so I hope you will be able to enjoy it as much as I'll be able to enjoy writing it.**

**Huge thanks to my friend Adam, who spent nearly 8 hours straight helping me to brainstorm, as well as proof-reading the story before sending it out.**

**Enjoy!**


	2. Downfall

Another boom rocked the castle, the cries of battle ringing clear from outside. Toriel held tighter on Asriel's hand as he whimpered fearfully, trying to keep up with his mother. Asgore held his firm look, taking only a glance at the window as they followed Captain Terrowin through the corridors.

The fox turned into the throne room, urgently leading them along to a smaller door near the back. Asgore ducked through, Toriel and Asriel following. Silence hung among the three as Terrowin knelt in a darkened corner in the room. The other guard drew his sword and kept watch as Terrowin dug his fingers into the tiny gap in the rock slabs, pulling it out and pushing it aside.

"Alright your highness, straight on through. The 5th legion will meet you outside by the forest, they'll get you to safety."

Asgore moved aside, helping Toriel and Asriel into the tunnel. Toriel looked back.

"Come on Gorey, we do not have much time!" Asgore gave a sad sigh, before standing up.

"No. I will not be joining you."

Captain Terrowin's jaw nearly hit the floor. "B-But your majesty! You're the king! You can't be here when the humans take the castle!"

Asgore growled firmly. "And what would I be if I fled my kingdom? I would look like a coward. If I am to die, I want to die defending my family. Now go! I'll help slow them down as much as I can. Captain Terrowin, you are to go with them."

Terrowin sputtered. "B-But-"

Asgore cut him off. "That's an _order_ Captain."

Toriel looked horrified. "Y-You can nott! What about our son?!" Asgore looked down at Asriel who stared back at him expectantly.

"I...I know you will do well raising our son Tori…"

Terrowin still looked speechless, and Asgore clasped his shoulder with one of his large hands. "I am putting my family's life in your hands old friend. Make sure they are safe."

Terrowin tried to keep himself calm. "I will die before I let any human get close to them your highness." He forced himself to step down into the tunnel with Toriel and Asriel, managing to squeeze past them to take the lead. As Asgore began pushing the slab back into place, Asriel gave out a wail.

"Daddy! Come with us!" He didn't respond, choking back a tear as he sealed the tunnels. Asgore stood up and approached the other guard who glanced back as Asgore asked.

"Are you with me?"

The guard nodded. "Right to the end your majesty." Asgore nodded grimly, grabbing his red trident before walking to the exit of the throne room, shrugging off the royal purple cape as he went, exposing the armor beneath. The sounds of war grew louder and louder, until he walked up behind the other soldiers in the military, the final line of defense against the palace. The commander looked at Asgore in shocked, but saluted quickly.

"Sire! I thought you evacuated the city with Captain Terrowin and your family!"

Asgore's response was gruff and firm. "They're safe commander. How are things looking?" The commander shook his head.

"Not good. It's only a matter of time before the humans break through our lines."

Asgore nodded. "So be it. But, if we are going to die here, we will be taking as many of them as we can." The commander said nothing, only focused back on the war. Another cry rang out among the line of monsters as they charged forward, towards the humans.

Below the Earth, Toriel crawled, making sure Asriel stayed behind her. She took another shaky breath and whispered up to Terrowin.

"We need to go back and help him...he does not stand a chance." Terrowin looked back, and seeing Asriel's distraught face, kept his voice low.

"With all due respect Lady Toriel, you and I both know there is nothing we can do. He made up his mind. His final orders were for me to get you to safety, and I intend to do so. At the cost of my life if necessary. I am truly sorry for your loss your majesty...but we must stay focused on getting Prince Asriel and yourself as far away from here as possible. That means regrouping with the 5th." Toriel nodded slightly, blinking back the tears that stung her eyes.

"Thank you Captain...but if we are to escape, we will have to move quicker."

Terrowin sighed. "Indeed." He turned back and continued the crawl through the dark, damp tunnels. When they finally reached the exit, he motioned for them to stay as he poked his head out, gazing around. No sign of any humans, he slowly emerged further, and suddenly an arrow whizzed past, striking the grass beside him. His head shot to the right, and he instantly saw the monster archer that had shot it. The archer looked apologetic immediately, and slid down the small, yet steep hill. Terrowin made a secret motion, signalling who was with him. After confirming the coast was clear with the scout, he spoke back down the tunnel.

"It's safe to come up your majesty." Toriel climbed from the tunnel, Asriel quickly following her. The scout looked behind for Asgore. Before he could ask though, the look Terrowin gave him convinced him to keep his mouth shut. The scout anxiously spoke.

"This way please your highness, everybody's waiting for you." The echoes of war carried into the trees, and Asriel clung tighter to Toriel's royal robe. She stroked his head comfortingly as they trekked through the trees, finally coming to where the 5th legion waited. With the last of the military was the royal scientist Doctor Gaster, as well as the rest of the monster population. Or at least, what was left of them. Toriel looked around at her subjects.

Many of the civilians looked distraught, scared, and most of the soldiers looked like they were itching to fight back. She climbed onto a small boulder to address her people. Terrowin took Asriel elsewhere, sensing that this was not announcement that he should hear. It could be explained to him when he was older.

"If I could have everybody's attention…" Immediately the group grew silent. "It is...with great sadness...that I announce King Asgore's...unfortunate death. He died, so that we may have a chance to escape. I will not let his attempts go in vain. I will be sending a portion of the 5th legion, to assist the people in retreating to Mount Ebott. There, you are all to wait, until I say it is safe to return. The rest of us, will stay here. We will fight back against the humans. We will NOT go down without a fight!" Toriel raised her voice for the last sentence, and though there were no cheers, there seemed to be growing optimism.

She immediately tasked a small portion of the military to escort the civilian population to Mount Ebott, they were gone within half an hour. Toriel approached Terrowin, eyeing Asriel who had distracted himself with a butterfly close by. She gestured for Gaster to come closer. She first spoke to Terrowin.

"I want you with me Captain. It would be useful having someone as intelligent as you fighting alongside us. Gaster…" The doctor straightened as Toriel addressed him. "I want you to take Asriel to the mountain with the others. We are at war after all. Blood will be spilled. I do not want him to have to witness it."

Gaster nodded, though inwardly he groaned at being put on babysitting duty. "Of course Lady Toriel. We will await your return at the mountain." He walked over to little Asriel who looked up as he approached, crouching down.

"Hey there big guy. Listen, we have to go, ok? Your mother has grown-up things that she needs to do. Do you want to come with me to a big mountain?" Asriel looked up at Gaster uncertainly.

"Will Daddy be there?" Gaster tried to remain emotionless, though the question felt like a punch to the ribs.

"Uh...no. Daddy will be with Mommy, alright?" Asriel looked over at Toriel who was already discussing battle strategy with Terrowin. He stood up and suddenly ran to Toriel, giving her a hug, trying to find some way to wrap his arms around her. He was unsuccessful. Toriel couldn't help but kneel down to embrace her son, holding him tight.

"It will be ok my little prince...run along now with Gaster. Mom will see you soon." Asriel sniffed, not wanting to leave. Gaster approached, and gently managed to pry Asriel off of Toriel. She waved goodbye to Asriel and Gaster as they disappeared into the trees. When she turned to face the legion, her face was cold. Asgore's death would not go in vain. She would make the humans pay with their blood.


	3. Resistance

The stars twinkled in the night sky, the moon casting shadows on the forest floor. Toriel repositioned herself just slightly up on the tree branch, casting one more glance over at Terrowin, who stayed focused on the small overgrown trail below. The other monsters stood in the trees, and in the bushes. The conversation from earlier flashed back into Terrowin's mind. He remembered Toriel's exact words.

"We have only two advantages. The environment, and the element of surprise. The humans expect us all to be running. So, we'll lure them into a trap. Two scouts will run ahead, and try to draw the humans into two different directions. Commander…" The fish-like monster had looked up at Toriel. "Your unit will draw them to the river. There, attack them from beyond. The river can act as a good buffer between your army and theirs. The other scout will draw the rest to Captain Terrowin and myself. We'll position ourselves where the forest is thickest, and attack them from the bushes and the trees. If we time it right, we might be able to push back." There had been optimistic murmurs. It might just work.

Now though, there was silence. Not even a cricket was chirping. It was as if sitting in the eye of a raging storm. Suddenly, metal could be heard in the distance. Terrowin held his breath as he watched the humans slowly approach, the glint of the armor giving away their position as they made their way slowly along the path. As he met eyes with Toriel for yet another brief moment, he could see the anger burning in her eyes. The desire for justice for her husband.

As they passed below, it all happened at once. One of the soldiers hiding in a small bush shot his spear out, stabbing it up in the weak point of one of the humans armor. As the human cried out in pain, Toriel instantly summoned a fireball and threw it down. It slammed into one of the human soldiers as he was quickly lit ablaze in panicked screams. The other monsters roared out in anger, launching themselves at the humans. Perfect to Toriel's prediction, the humans were caught completely off guard. Terrowin lept from the branch, tackling one human to the ground, driving his longsword through the humans chest. He stood up and spun around, countering a blow from another. Toriel continued to use her magic to her advantage, staying just out of reach. The battling was chaotic, and it was hard to tell who was who at times.

It soon became all to clear though, that the monsters were slowly losing more and more. Still though, the rough terrain came through. Several humans found themselves swinging at trees, or even each other as they tried to see in the dark of the night. It was hard, but at last the final human fell. Toriel slid down from the tree, gazing around. Blood was everywhere from the bodies of the humans. It then became even more clear, that in fact the monsters had outnumbered the humans, and only a very small portion had come to face them.

"There is no way this is all of them." Terrowin nodded, sheathing his sword.

"I agree your highness. This appears to have been a very small scouting unit. Even this few though…" He looked around. It was evident that despite being outnumbered nearly three to one, over half the monsters with Toriel had been turned to dust.

"So if this is all that's here...where are all the others?" Terrowin questioned. Suddenly, more battle cries erupted from the east, the exact direction the other commander was supposed to be. Toriel didn't need to give the order before what was left of them quickly began to rush through the trees, scrambling to get to the other units. Their efforts were in vain. By the time they had arrived, there was nothing but dust on one end of the bank, and a single human body laying at the shore of the river.

Toriel looked around the battlefield, suddenly feeling tired. The humans were very, very powerful. That much was clear. She found herself shaking in fury. As they began to trek back to regroup, Terrowin suddenly held out a hand to stop them. The company stopped, and Terrowin turned to Toriel, pointing into the trees and mouthed. 'Over here.' Toriel whispered to the other soldiers to stay put as she left the trail to go with Terrowin.

A small ways off, another human scout team had taken shelter in what seemed to be a small wooden cottage with a straw roof. Toriel felt her fur standing on end, fury blazing in her eyes. Her right hand glowed and a small ball of fire burned in her palm. She let two small licks of fire fly from the ball, striking the wood and the straw.

The mocking laughter that could be heard quickly turned into yells of distress, then endless coughing and cries of pain as the small building began to become consumed with the flames. Toriel didn't bother staying to watch the end. She simply turned, storming angirly back into the woods. Terrowin stayed back, watching the house slowly collapse and the screams die out, before rushing back to rejoin 's voice was ice cold as she gave the order. "Let's go."

The days that followed were long and tiring, the nights often sleepless. The guerilla fighting continued all throughout the week, the monsters staging ambushes all along the trails, but somehow the humans would take few losses in comparrison. Eventually, they began to catch on, and once even managed to get the drop on a scouting regiment using their own tactics. None of the soldiers had returned.

The sun had just barely dipped below the horizon as Toriel sat alone atop a hill, the other monsters in what was left of the 5th legion resting at the bottom. Terrowin slowly approached and stood by her.

"I understand this might not be my place to ask...but, I've noticed that you haven't ordered a recovery mission for Asgore's remains."

Toriel didn't look at Terrowin, keeping her eyes on the capital, the city which looked like it would crumble at any moment. Not getting a response, Terrowin continued to speak.

"If I may your highness...allow me to lead a mission to go back to the city and retrieve what we can. He deserves to be buried properly." Toriel now stood up quickly.

"Absolutely not. We have lost so many men Captain...I can not afford to lose any more men, especially you of all people!"

Terrowin tried to reason with her. "Your highness, King Asgore was a very good friend of mine. He personally trained me. If not anyone else, at least allow me to try and see what I can find. You and I both know that I am more than familiar with the tunnels leading to and from the city. I could be in and out, they would never notice!" Toriel narrowed her eyes sternly.

"Captain, I said no. I am aware you are familiar with the tunnels. But, you seem to forget that the humans are many. What would happen if you were caught?! They will kill you on sight! I need you here. With me. Besides...if anything happens to me, Asriel would need someone to care for him." Terrowin stood up straighter.

"Lady Toriel, I swore when I entered the guard that I would die a thousand times over before letting any harm come to you or Prince Asriel. This is a promise I intend to hold until my last breath."

Toriel sighed. "Even so, my answer remains the same." Terrowin shook his head. Seeing nothing more he could do, grunted.

"As you wish, your highness." He walked back down the hill towards the few members of the royal guard that had stayed behind to help fight against the humans. They looked up as Terrowin approached, and one of them asked.

"No luck?" Terrowin shook his head.

"As stubborn as King Asgore. They never fail to surprise me how much they can be like each other. So, being as it is, I need you all to cover me. King Asgore's legacy does not deserve to remain trapped in a human controlled city. I refuse to leave so much behind." One of the other members looked shocked.

"But, didn't you say you were just ordered not to?"

Terrowin chuckled. "Maybe, doesn't mean I'm going to follow it. Can you do this for me?" The other guards reluctantly nodded. Terrowin sighed.

"Thank you. All of you. Both for this, and for staying behind. You're all putting so much at risk. I'll try to be back before dawn." With this, he made sure Toriel wasn't looking, before sprinting into the woods.


	4. Retreat

Clouds moved to cover the moon, surrounding the forest in a thick blackness that you could almost feel surrounding you. Terrowin approached the hill, feeling around the grass until he found it. He felt for the small metal ring hidden beneath the thick layer of grass, giving it a tug. More loose dirt fell away as he pried open the trapdoor, slipping back into the tunnel. He crawled through the tunnels, picking his way once more through the many little bends, the rise and fall of the pathways, all slowly leading back to the castle.

Soon he found himself face-to-face with a smooth stone wall. He first slowly drew his sword, laying it beside him as he tried to push the slab aside as quietly as he could. He poked his head out, looking around the darkened throne room. No sign of the humans so far. He lifted the sword, slowly bring himself further into the open. He made next to no sound as he moved across the floor.

As he exited the throne room and into the hall, he noticed that several paintings were no longer present. The humans must have stolen them, or destroyed them. Then he saw it right at the end of the hallway. The familiar purple fabric. He picked up the pace, walking towards the robe, still laying where Asgore had removed it days ago. He knelt by the throne as he whispered to himself.

"Long live the king…" He picked up the robe, resting his head briefly in the fabric.

"You did not deserve such a violent death...but fear not...we will make sure your death is avenged…" He folded the robe, tucking it under his arm. Voices approached and he froze briefly, before ducking in between two marble pillars lining the walls. He could see the exit of the castle a short ways away, and he knew Asgore's dust was there, yet if he made a move towards the exit, he would have been spotted immediately. He managed to pick out the conversation, it seemed to be one of the human military leaders.

"...managed to flush out the remaining soldiers." The sentence was picked up halfway through. "Many of them were hiding in several tunnels running under the capital. We managed to drive them out into the open, and they were taken care of shortly." In the next room, the general nodded approvingly.

"Seems like you've all made good progress. What of the queen and her son? Any sign of them?" The soldier shook his head.

"Nothing, sir. We've searched every building, every nook and cranny. We believe she used the same tunnels to flee the city." Terrowin went pale. It was only a matter of time before the humans discovered the secret tunnels, but he never imagined they would find them so soon! The general sounded curious.

"Interesting...if the queen escaped through the tunnels, why would the king not have joined her? Why lay down his own life? He would have stood more of a chance fleeing as well…" The other soldier offered his own opinion.

"I'm a father of two myself sir...and I would rather die than let anything happen to my children. My guess is, he knew he was going to die, and he wanted to die making a stand against our larger fighting force.' The general scoffed.

"Noble, but foolish. Make sure you get as much out of the treasury's as you can. May as well make us wealthy after all this." Terrowin heard footsteps approaching rapidly, then a third voice speak breathlessly.

"Sir! We've just received word from the soldiers in the forest!" The general waited somewhat impatiently for the runner to catch his breath, before he continued to speak.

"The monsters have been making a fierce stand in the forests surrounding the capital. Many are saying that the Queen is fighting among them."

The general barked back. "We already know all of this! Where's the news we DON'T know?"

The runner continued speaking. "We've discovered that the soldiers fighting in the forest is actually all the monsters have left in their armies! There is no other force hiding in wait like we thought. They're already throwing everything they have at us, and we're steadily pushing them back. As well as this, sir, scouts have discovered a mountain where the rest of the monsters, mostly civilians are staying. We believe the prince is among them."

The general chuckled. "Good. Good. Continue the push in the forest, but redirect some of our forces through the tunnels. We'll come from behind and surround them. Once the army has been dealt with, we will turn to the mountain, and kill every last one of them." Terrowin tried not to make a small sound of horror at the news. A final question was thrown.

"What about the capital?" The general looked around before smirking.

"Burn it. Burn it all." Terrowin broke into a run, making for the throne room and the tunnel. As he went, the tip of his sword struck the ground. He heard the general suddenly shout.

"What was that?" He kept running, then he heard another shout.

"HEY!" A spear whizzed past his head as he turned, skidding slightly as he raced into the throne room. He was quick to dive back into the tunnel, and pull the slab back into place before the humans could find him. His heart was racing as he scrambled through the tunnel, nearly dropping the robe he carried. He started running once more as he wrenched the trapdoor open, letting it swung back shut behind him.

He didn't stop running until he reached the camp.

By now there was a dark purplish glow on the horizon as the sun was starting to rise. He managed to find Toriel, racing back up the hill to where she still was, though she had taken a small nap as the night had gone on.

"Your highness!" He dropped to one knee in front of her, holding out the purple robe. Toriel looked down in surprise.

"Captain! How-" She stopped herself as she realized what he did. "I ordered you NOT to return to the capital! Do you realize what could have happened to you?!" Toriel looked livid and Terrowin couldn't help but shrink just a tad.

"I couldn't just let his legacy die...he needed to be remembered somehow…I'm sorry, this was the all I could get."

Toriel took a deep breath. The captain had meant well, and this might be the only thing left to remind her of her husband.

"...Just...don't...do that again. Please. You're too valuable for me to lose, especially now." She noticed that Terrowin looked agitated. "Is there something wrong?" She accepted the robe from him as he reported back what he had heard.

"The humans found the tunnels your majesty. They plan on using them to flank and surround us. After the finish us off, they plan to go after the monsters hidden in Mount Ebott, somehow a scout got past us and found them."

Toriel's eyes widened with fear. "Dear God...we need to change our tactics, making sure we defend the mountain at all costs!"

Terrowin had a different idea however. "Your highness, I must insist that for your safety, you retreat to the mountain and hide with your people."

Toriel shook her head insistently. "No. I will not hide. I have a war to fight. I will stay and help drive the humans back."

Terrowin suddenly raised his voice in a shout. "YOU HAVE A SON! Your majesty...what about him?! I, personally, would not want to have to tell such a young child, that both of his parents are dead!" Toriel took a step back "Listen...I know you want to avenge King Asgore...I want to as much as you. But, now is not the time. We're just too weak. I'm sorry your majesty...but we have lost this war. We lost it the second the humans set foot in the capital. We need to retreat, and stop the needless death." Toriel looked stunned at Terrowin's emotion fueled outburst, but couldn't help but agree with him. An image of Asriel flashed through her mind. He was going to be devastated enough when he finally discovered what had happened to Asgore. But to find out he had lost his mother, it would kill him. She sighed, letting a single tear run down her cheek.

"Of course Captain...we should have stopped this madness long ago...now come. We must return to the mountain before it is too late." She started off towards the mountain without another thought.

"Come on!" They rushed after Toriel, as she prayed that they could make it to them before the humans.


	5. Trapped

The group never slowed their pace as they hiked through the forest towards Mount Ebott. Finally, Toriel spotted the mouth of the cave and held her breath.

She sighed with relief when she saw another soldier she had sent ahead as part of the escort standing guard outside the mouth of the cave. Toriel slowed to an authoritative walk as she approached the soldier, gesturing for him to follow her. The rest of the army followed her into the cavern. The others were hiding only a short ways inside. Toriel approached another guard close by.

"Where's Gaster and my son?" The guard pointed further in the tunnel, and Toriel saw them in the blackness. Gaster was trying to explain something sciency to Asriel, but he was too focused in a strange rock he had found to pay attention. When Gaster saw Toriel, he smiled slightly. Toriel spoke up so everybody could hear.

"I need everyone to move further into the caves at once. As far as is safe to go. We do not have much time, so we need to hurry!" One of the other soldiers, a turtle approached her.

"If I may y'er highness, what's going on? You look as if you've seen a different coloured sky!"

Toriel quickly responded. "The humans know that we are here Gerson. We need to bring everybody as far in as we can before they attack here." There were murmurs of fear at the news, but quickly people began trying to shuffle further into the blackness that seemed to want to pull you down, and drown you. Gerson looked up at Toriel as he stayed beside her.

"But, what of the war? Is there any chance we have?" He pleaded as he was met with silence. "Please your majesty, tell us there is some home in this dark hour…" Toriel could only look ahead as she responded.

"The war is over. We have lost. We will try to hide here, and hope the humans do not find us. It is all we can do." She looked back to Terrowin who had approached the mouth of the cave. She left Gerson to go and check on him. She followed his gaze, and through the tops of the trees below she could see the smoke, and the orange glow of the capital in flames. Terrowin spoke so quietly it was nearly a whisper.

"They've done it...they've destroyed everything...what will we do now?" Toriel patted his shoulder.

"We have not lost everything Captain. We still have each other, and we still have our determination. They can not take these away from us. Now, we simply survive. Come, it is not safe here." Terrowin turned and followed Toriel into the blackness.

That night, Gerson stood up watching by the mouth of the cave for any sign of the humans. Then, he heard footsteps, and lots of them. He shrunk back so the shadows sheltered him, and he could hear the humans talking, seemingly above. They must be on the rocks just above the mouth of the cave. It sounded like there was close to an army above them.

"This must be the place. Send word to the others, if we hurry, we can strike now before the sun rises." He could hear a second voice, sounding somewhat uncertain.

"Look, are you sure we want to go through with this?" The first voice spat back angrily.

"They're monsters, and seemingly weak monsters at that. Give me one good reason why we shouldn't storm in right now."

The second voice continued. "Well, look at what's been happening so far. We've been having to make our way through the forests around the capital and the mountains. You're correct in saying we're winning, but look at the cost! The monsters keep changing their positioning so we can never say for sure where they're going to be, even if we know how. Our losses are slowly beginning to rise. Why don't, we just trap them underground instead?"

The first voice was silent, before responding. "I'm not sure I get where you're going with this." The second voice tried to elaborate.

"Why don't we just get the seven Grand-wizards from back home, and get them to make some kind of barrier to trap them? Surely they don't have food, so they would just starve to death. This way, we don't have to risk losing more men fighting fiercely in the caves." The first voice chuckled.

"Make it slow and painful. I like you're thinking. Let's run that by the general and see what he thinks. Alright here's the plan. You run back and make the request to the Grand-Wizards. I'll stay here with the rest. If they try to make a run for it, we'll make sure none of them will move again." The voices receded as the humans left. Gerson was filled with a growing sense of dread.

THE NEXT DAY

The night had been long and tiresome. Several guards have volunteered to stand guard, despite having gotten barely any rest. Toriel had found herself falling asleep, exhausted from the events of the past few days. This time though, when she woke, there was something different. She could feel it. As she stood up, she began to approach the mouth of the cave so she could brief the soldiers that had stood guard. She found Terrowin turning around, then she saw it. It appeared to be a wall of light. Terrowin gave a sharp snap to attention before speaking.

"Lady Toriel, I was just about to come and get you. It appeared overnight. One of the soldiers standing guard had heard humans approaching. They never entered the cave, but when they left, this was here." She walked past him to Gaster, who was looking it over curiously.

"Doctor Gaster...do you know what it is?"

Gaster shook his head. "I don't know of it's name, however I have a fairly good idea of its purpose. This seems to be a barrier made up of pure magic. I assume it was erected by human wizards. And, as you see…" He reached his hand out to touch the barrier. As he touched it, a sort of crackling and sizzling sound came from it, and he quickly retracted his hand as though it had been burned by a hot pot, shaking it. "...nothing seems to be able to get through." Toriel had a growing sense of alarm within her.

"So the humans intend to trap us here…do we know if there is another way out?"

Terrowin sighed. "I've talked with both Gerson and Doctor Gaster, this seems to be the only way in, or out of the mountain. From what we know at least." Toriel felt herself growing dizzy. She walked over to the wall of the cave, leaning back against it.

"...At least we're not fighting the humans…" Was her only words. Terrowin couldn't help but agree. "What do we do now your majesty?" Toriel pushed two fingers to her forehead, composing herself.

"Fetch Gerson. Send him along with a party of willing volunteers from the 5th legion to go explore the caverns. It seems we will be here for a while and we may as well know what is around us. Hopefully, we may find a place to call home." Terrowin nodded. The noise of their conversation had roused Asriel, who approached the barrier curiously. Toriel was quick to gently pull him away.

"No dear, you can not touch it. It can hurt you." Asriel put on a pouty face as he looked up at Toriel.

"Where's Daddy? Gaster said he would be here!" Toriel looked up at Gaster, who shrugged helplessly, his eyes telling her that it was the best thing he could have said at the time. Toriel took a deep breath, trying to find a way to break the news gently to Asriel.

"Your father...will not be able to be with us. He had to...make sure we were safe Asriel. Do you understand? You will not be able to see him…" Asriel, though being young, seemed to understand. He looked into her eyes before hugging her, starting to cry. Toriel leaned over, taking her son in her embrace, trying to give him as much comfort as she could. Gaster made a quick departure, while Terrowin simply looked to the barrier, trying not to show emotion himself. While she was comforting Asriel, she spoke quietly to Terrowin.

"We will need to have a funeral for him...maybe once we have found a new home?" The fox nodded solemnly. "Indeed...indeed. I will make the arrangements…my queen." He left, starting to go and get Gerson, before turning back for a brief moment.

"I know it probably doesn't help...but I am so...so sorry." Then, he was gone. Asriel burrowed his head into Toriel's arm, the warmth from her fur the only comfort she could give him.

The days stretched on into months. Within weeks most of the Underground had been mapped, and several preferable spots for settlement had been chosen. Toriel elected to stay closer to the barrier with Asriel. Plans were made for a smaller palace to be constructed within the following year. Many started to stay in what would soon become the new capital, or as Toriel chose to call it, "New Home." Others that preferred the cold, went to establish a small village that they said would be called Snowdin. True to his word, Terrowin had gone through with his promise to make preparations for Asgore's funeral.

It was nearly half a year before the day finally came. There had been no dust that could have been collected, so instead Terrowin had assisted in creating a small pile of variously assorted rocks, along with an arrangement of golden flowers, the ones Asgore had liked the most. He stood further in the back as Toriel and Asriel looked down at the memorial. Asriel held his mothers hand as he asked her quietly.

"Why couldn't Daddy come with us? Why did he have to leave?" Toriel choked as she tried to think of a response.

"Your father had to stay behind to make sure you were safe. He didn't want to see anyone hurt you. Do you understand?"

Asriel now looked cross, yet somewhat energetic. "I guess...I bet he made the humans regret messing with us didn't he!"

Toriel sighed, deciding not to respond. Soon after, it was time to address the kingdom. The people were already waiting, well aware of the event that was taking place. In respect, silence had covered the Underground, and many people dressed in dark clothing. Toriel stepped out of the home to address the kingdom. She took several long moments to collect her thoughts. Asriel stayed back with Terrowin.

"I do not think I need to say that we will all miss King Asgore...many of us know from personal experience what he was like. He was a good friend to many...he was a beautiful husband...and a loving father. There are no words to express his kindness as a king. I know many monsters would say he was one of the kindest souls you could find. When he needed to be though, King Asgore was tough. He was resilient. And it was this resilience, that gave him strength to fight to his last, trying to ensure safety for us all. These are dark times, yes. Nothing will ever be as it once was. But, we must not dwell on the past. Instead, we must look to the future. There is light somewhere...and we will seek it out. We will one day find a way to return to the surface. I want to commend every single soul that has helped in the construction of the city. But, we must also not forget those who have fallen. A monument will be constructed in the city center to honor the fallen soldiers of this terrible war. Then, we will look only to a brighter future. One, where we will return once more to the surface. So do not be afraid. Do not be sorrowful. Have hope. We will rebuild our great kingdom, and we shall not let all these deaths be in vain."

There was a humble cheer from the assembled crowd. One-by-one the monsters began to disperse, leaving Toriel to Asriel and Terrowin.

"Asriel, why don't you go play in your room for a little bit? I need to have a discussion with Terrowin." Asriel nodded and ran off to his room. Terrowin walked slowly beside Asriel through the construction site of the new palace.

"I am going to be busy as you know, running the kingdom and helping with construction where I can." Terrowin stopped in his tracks. "I fear that I may not have as much time as I would wish to spend with Asriel. So, I wish to ask a favor of you."

Terrowin glanced over curiously. "Anything your majesty."

Toriel stopped and looked over to him. "I want you to help care for Asriel. He needs a father figure in his life, and I frankly do not see anyone more qualified. Besides, it is clear to me that he has already taken a liking to you." Terrowin straightened.

"It would be an honor your majesty. I swear upon my life that I will help raise Prince Asriel with the best of my ability-" He was cut off by Toriel's soft chuckling.

"Oh, stop it with the formalities already Captain. I know you will do just fine. Also, please, call me Toriel."

Terrowin gave his own little chuckle. "As you wish."


	6. Hope

With hope more or less restored, everyone began working hard to transform this somewhat bleak place into a proper home. Soon, most of the city had been constructed. The monument was built right in the middle of the city where everyone could see it. People made frequent visits to pay their own respects.

The two largest projects being worked on, was the final pieces of the new palace, as well as The Core. Gaster had approached Toriel with the idea after he discovered Hotland's geothermal potential. She approved for the project to begin immediately.

She looked around one of the final unfinished areas of the throne room. She wanted it to be perfect, and resemble as much of the original as was possible. She was looking over the final plans with one of the building advisors.

"So if we can find some way to put in, maybe a bed of golden flowers around here…" She pointed to a spot on the map which sat just in front of where the throne would go, once it had been manufactured. This process had taken time, but it was also nearing completion. The advisor nodded thoughtfully.

"Could make for lovely scenery." He looked up as Toriel wobbled ever so slightly. She leaned forward on the table with one hand, the other rubbing her eyes. He was quick to run and grab a nearby chair, positioning it by Toriel.

"I understand it's no throne your highness, but please, sit down. You don't seem like you've slept in ages." Toriel sighed, tired, as she sank down into the chair.

"I just want this to be finished...it has been too long already…" The advisor looked down at the blueprints once more before looking back up at her.

"Your highness, if you need to go and rest, you can do so. We can handle things here." She shook her head. The advisor decided not to persist. At that moment, Asriel came running into the throne room. Toriel looked up, smiling warmly as her son approached.

"Hey Mom, did you make the brownies on the counter?" Toriel nodded, putting her hands in her lap.

"I did, were you wanting one?" Asriel scuffed one foot on the ground as he put his hands behind his back.

"Well, not exactly. Maybe the hammer people would like to have them? Can I give the cookies to them?" Toriel was confused, then realized Asriel was talking about the other construction workers hard at work in finishing up the palace. She gave a small giggle.

"Of course you can dear. Be careful though!"

Asriel jumped up gleefully. "Yay!" He quickly ran off, finding his way back to the kitchen. It didn't take him long. The palace was nothing huge, but Toriel had tried to remake as much as she could with the extremely confined space. He grabbed the plate of brownies, still warm, and then ran to one of the other rooms where monsters were hard at work.

The faces around the room brightened up at the offer of brownies, and many accepted them graciously, except one who said he was allergic to chocolate. Asriel wasn't offended. Soon, the plate was nearly empty. He approached the last worker who was hard at work, hammering nails into wooden boards that would act as a frame for the last wall in the room. He looked up as Asriel approached.

"Well, if it isn't Prince Asriel! What have you got there?" Asriel held out the plate to him.

"Brownies! Mom said I could give them to you guys. Want one?" The man chuckled. How could he say no?

"Sure. Thank you." He took the final brownie, but Asriel hung around.

"What are you doing?"

The man looked to the board. "Just finishing up with the frame of this wall." He went back to his work, and he heard Asriel ask over the noise.

"Can I try? It looks like fun!" The monster looked to the nail. It was already half into the wood, there didn't seem to be any harm in letting him try. He handed him the hammer.

"Why not? Try to hit this nail right here until it goes into the wood." Asriel nearly dropped the hammer as it was given to him. It was much heavier than he thought. He managed to hold it up and swung it forward, striking the nail. The nail however, didn't move a muscle. He tried twice more, before giving up. By now, Asriel was looking quite irritated.

"It's stuck." The monster laughed at the comment, and gave him a pat on the head as Asriel handed the hammer back.

"It's not stuck, but you have to be quite strong for this job."

Now, Asriel looked offended. "I'm strong! Watch!" He tried to lift up another hammer nearby, just barely succeeding. The worker smiled.

"I'm sure you are. Thanks for the brownie!" He took a bite of it. Asriel smiled and waved goodbye, before running away. He spotted Terrowin down in the courtyard at one end, hacking at a dummy with his sword. Asriel was mesmerized in the flowing movements. It seemed so precise. So smooth.

"Whoa…" He ran down the stairs and outside, walking up behind Terrowin who tucked the blade away as Asriel approached.

"That was so cool! Can I do that?" Terrowin shook his head apologetically.

"Sorry Asriel, I'm afraid not. You need lots of special training to do what I do. Plus, you might get hurt if you don't know how to do it properly." Asriel looked crestfallen for a split second, then almost instantly bounced back.

"Well can you train me then?"

Terrowin again shook his head. "When you're a little older."

Asriel frowned. "Oh...alright." Terrowin sighed when he heard the sadness in Asriel's voice.

"Hey, chin up. You'll get there eventually." He smiled encouragingly, brightening Asriel up further.

Toriel quickly recovered from her slight dizzy spell, and decided to take the building advisor's words about getting some time off to help. She found herself wandering back to her room. Perhaps some time just reading could help. Before she arrived though, she saw Gaster come around a bend and spot her, walking quickly over to her. She saw great excitement in his eyes.

"Lady Toriel, there you are! I have big news!" She looked up curiously at the scientist. Rarely did she see him so excited.

"Oh? What is it?" The scientist quickly began explaining his findings.

"I've discovered more information about the barrier. After closer research, I found out that not only is the barrier made of magic, but it's made up of soul power as well." Toriel wasn't quite sure what this meant.

"Meaning…"

Gaster continued. "Meaning, the barrier can be broken!" Toriel felt her spirits being lifted immediately.

"Doctor Gaster this...this is amazing! This is probably the best news I could hear right now! What do we need to break the barrier?" Gaster's excited smile disappeared, to be replaced with a look of doubt.

"That's...the bad news. After doing careful calculations, it seems that we would need seven human souls, or an amount of soul power from monsters that would equate to the same amount. The problem is that monster souls, as you know, are much weaker than a human soul. So…"

"...So we're going to need seven humans to come down here. No human would dare though. Meaning...we're still trapped indefinitely." Toriel finished his sentence. Gaster nodded sadly. A small voice startled both of them.

"What's soul power?" They looked to see Asriel standing in the doorway. He clearly didn't understand a majority of what was said as he was looking happier than ever. Toriel looked to Gaster for help, and he tried his best to explain it.

"Soul power, is...well what it sounds like. It's the power that comes directly from our souls. Every monster has it. Including you, me, and your mother. Humans also contain massive amounts of soul power. Do you kind of understand here what I mean?"

Asriel nodded. "I think I do. Hey Mom! I forgot to ask if you finished my cape?" Gaster shook his head, having a nagging feeling like Asriel didn't know at all, or was bored and wanted to change the subject. Toriel smiled.

"Oh! Thank you for reminding me." Gaster followed her to her study as she went to fetch it.

"Cape, your majesty?" Toriel picked it up and showed it to him.

"Indeed. The pauldrons were made by a blacksmith in New Home. The fabric...well, it came from Asgore's robe."

Gaster nodded slowly, and understandingly. "I see. It looks fit for a prince." Toriel giggled again as she passed him again.

"Thank you Gaster." It was here that Gaster made his departure, wanting to go and run more tests, and see if there was another way besides soul power to break the barrier. Asriel was half bouncing with excitement when he saw Toriel returning. She handed it to him, and Asriel scrambled to put it on. It was quite obviously too big for him, though he would grow into it with time. He didn't seem to care though as he gave it a brave swish.

"Awesome! Now I can go and fight all the bad humans like Dad!" Toriel flinched at the words. She could tell his imagination was running amok.

"Asriel, sit with me would you?" Asriel followed her to the living room, sitting eagerly on the couch. "What's up, mom?"

Toriel chose her words carefully. "I know you want to go and fight the humans. But, I am saying that, if you ever do, do so carefully."

Asriel tipped his head. "Why?"

Toriel continued. "Well, not all humans are bad Asriel. Only a certain few are. The humans that trapped us here were very bad. But, there are many other humans that would do anything to try and save us if they could. Do you understand? Humans can in fact be very friendly, just like us monsters."

Asriel seemed to take her words to heart, though he still looked disappointed.

"So I'm not allowed to learn how to fight?" Toriel considered this, then responded.

"You may learn how to train with Captain Terrowin when you are just a little older. But, remember to only fight in self-defense, when there is no other option. Can you do that? Only to protect yourself." Asriel smiled and hugged Toriel again.

"Alright, thank you Mom!" One of the pauldrons slipped and the rest of the cape quickly fell. Asriel quickly gathered it up, and practically bundled himself in it as he ran off to his room. Toriel sighed, shaking her head with a tired smile. She stared up at the ceiling, and closed her eyes. Here, it was quiet. She whispered softly.

"If you are there Gorey...I hope you are proud of your son…" She stayed here for some time before finally opening her eyes. She stood up. There would be time to reflect later. For now, she had to be a queen.

_**AUTHORS**__** NOTE**_

**So this is the end of Queen Under the Mountain, part 1 of the Kingdom Come trilogy.**

**I understand 5 chapters seems kind of short, so allow me to explain.**

**Part 1 was supposed to set the stage. Think of it as one long prologue. Parts 2 and 3 will be longer in length than part 1 for sure.**

**Now the stage has been set, and the main part of the story can commence.**


End file.
